Despite the threat to many of our countries beloved live music venues, including if rumours are to be believed Norwich's own Waterfront venue at one point, Norwich appears to be doing okay. Recent times have actually seen the city sprout numerous new venues including my destination tonight simply entitled Open.
This is my first visit to this venue and this is the excuse I'm taking forward to explain my joining the wrong queue upon arrival. Open happens to feature two separate live music spaces which are both in use tonight. The larger room is playing host to folk group Show Of Hands and it's this mile long queue that I mistakenly join at this point. Suspicion was raised when I clocked that I was at least half the age of everyone else in the queue, not the normal audience I'd associate with Marmozets!
Eventually I found the Club Room which was housing 'The Big Cheese Tour' which has seen the unlikely duo of Marmozets and Lonely The Brave join forces to co-headline the lengthy trek of the UK. As I finally enter this great little venue support act Allusondrugs are already plying their trade on the stage. From what I see this is a decent young band with a grunge sound not unlike Nirvana.
Thankfully my queuing faux pas didn't delay me so much as to make me miss any of the next act. Lonely The Brave it must be said are my reason for being here tonight and they don't disappoint. Cambridge's Lonely The Brave have spent the last year touring in preparation for their debut album 'The Day's War' which finally dropped in September and hit number fourteen in the Album Charts and number one on the UK Rock Album Charts.
With the album now out Lonely The Brave aren't slowing down with their touring, if possible they are even pushing harder. This is a band that have unlimited potential and the attitude that's needed to fulfil it. They have grown significantly in the time that I've been following them and that is in no small measure down to their time spent on the road honing their craft.
Tonight is a typical show from the band, at times slow and melodic and at times fast and heavy, but always engaging and enthralling. Marmozets influence on the band is clear to see as guitarist Mark Trotter makes numerous trips into the audience with his guitar. This is a band that has the ability to help put rock back on the map along with the likes of Marmozets and Royal Blood.
And with performances like tonight's they will make it happen. We are treated to the likes of singles 'Victory Line', 'Trick Of The Light' and 'The Blue, The Green' as well as fans favourites such as 'Deserter' and 'Black Saucers' before the band finish with the epic 'Backroads'. Tonight Lonely The Brave prove that they are on the cusp of something special and that there is life still left in rock music.
The rock scene is full of promising young bands at an exciting time for the genre. A band I've already mentioned, Royal Blood have already smashed boundaries by hitting the dizzy heights of number one in the Album Charts and they are not alone. Our headliners tonight, Marmozets, are another breaking walls down.
The venue tonight is packed and a good number are clearly here for Marmozets and their unique brand of heavy music. Marmozets consist of two sets of siblings. Will (bass) and Jack (guitar) Bottomley and Becca (vocals), Sam (guitar) and Josh (drums) Macintyre. Together they have crafted out a reputation as a powerful live act and have left behind them a lengthy stream chaotic live shows.
Tonight is more of the same as the venues erupts as the band open with their teen anthem 'Born Young And Free'. 'Particle' and 'Is It Horrible' follow and see the entire room engulfed by a giant circle pit. Singer Becca Macintyre conducts the audience as if she were conducting an orchestra and has the crowd eating out of the palm of her hand.
Marmozets are an energetic powerhouse live and they have captured this on record with last month's debut 'The Weird And Wonderful Marmozets'. At a time when rock music needs awakening this is another record that sets about achieving this. Tonight Marmozets are relentless with their onslaught of songs from this album. The fantastic 'Captivate You' is next before 'Weird And Wonderful' sums up the band perfectly.
It's now very hot and very sweaty in this little venue but the band and the fans show no sign of slowing down, especially when we have songs like the brilliant 'Why Do You Hate Me?' to enjoy. 'Hit The Wave' and 'Move, Shake, Hide' bring us towards the end of what has been a great night for celebrating all that's good about the new rock scene.
Tonight happens to be the final night of what has been a lengthy tour around the UK and as Marmozets bring the tour to a close with 'Vibetech' they are joined on stage by members of Lonely The Brave and Allusondrugs as the stage and audience merge as one. It's a moment as chaotic and as powerful as Marmozets' music is and allows for me to finish with the line Marmozets brought the ceiling down because they do literally bring down part of the venues ceiling! I wonder who will pick up the bill for that?
FUTURE GIGS
sorry, we currently have no gigs listed for this act.